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Grassroots Motorsports

February 10, 2017

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ASK ANY CAR COMPANY why it’s involved in motorsports and you’ll hear things like “it helps us push our products to the limit,” “it’s a great training ground for our young engineers,” and the old saying, “win on Sunday, sell on Monday.” Meanwhile, ask a driver why they race and you’ll hear words like “passion,” “thrill” and “inspiration.” And then there’s Mazda, combining it all — a company where racing isn’t just about a shelf full of trophies or some obscure engineering exercise. It’s the company’s very foundation.

Take grassroots racing, where drivers race for the simple joy of competition and camaraderie. With both the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) in road racing and autocross, grassroots racing is growing.

Mazda gets that. It understands that without entry-level racing, there would be no professional racing. So when the company says it boasts the most comprehensive motorsports ladder system of any automaker, it’s not just talk. Mazda walks the walk as a company ahead of the pack, so to speak, where driving really does matter.

How so? Since it started racing 50 years ago, Mazda has won races from grassroots to Le Mans.

For Mazda, though, it’s not just about winning. It’s about passion and racers voicing their Mazda love. According to the SCCA, the manufacturer holds a 55 percent market share in grassroots racing. In fact, the SCCA’s biggest class is Spec Miata, with more than 3,000 cars built. Mazda also supplies engines for Formula Mazda, among the club’s most-popular open-wheel classes, and racers drive Mazda in several other classes.

Mazda doesn’t just support racers technologically — it also continues to pay more contingency prize money to SCCA and NASA racers than any other car company. In fact, Mazda and the SCCA just announced they’ll work together to increase entries, contingency offerings and future opportunities for racers in all classes, and especially Mazda-powered Formula Enterprises (FE) cars.

Being so heavily involved in grassroots racing means Mazda has given many drivers their first racing experiences. They often speak of their passion and love for the company. “The first time I went more than 100 mph on a track was a eureka moment,” said one. “I knew this is what I was going to do for the rest of my life. ”

Clearly racing is in Mazda’s blood. It’s a company continuously celebrating driving. Supporting thousands of racers who choose to race Mazdas is a no-brainer: They are the best representatives — the best brand advocates — an automaker could ever want.